Grandparents Charged In Death Of 5-Month-Old

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (CBS/STMW) — The grandparents of an infant boy who died at a northwest suburban hospital last week have been charged with felony child endangerment.

Bond was set at $30,000 each on Friday for Jose M. Trejo, 45, and Eugena Trejo, 48. The couple, who live on the 2500 block of Algonquin Road in Rolling Meadows, were charged with one count each of endangering a child, police said.

Police and the state Dept. of Children and Family Services investigated the couple after 5-month-old Reymond Trejo was brought to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights on Jan. 4.

Doctors reported that the infant died prior to arrival, and DCFS investigated allegations of neglect in the case, an agency spokesman said.

The investigation revealed Reymond had been left unattended on a bed and was later found next to the bed in a pile of clothing by his grandfather, the police release said.

An autopsy on Jan. 5 proved inconclusive, with results pending further studies, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office.

“There were no obvious signs of trauma to the body, and nothing to suggest anything like shaken baby [syndrome],” Rolling Meadows police Cmdr. William Arneson said.

Reymond’s mother, a minor, voluntarily gave up custody following an earlier investigations sparked by police officers who expressed concern for the child’s welfare, Arneson said.

Legal custody was granted to Eugina Trejo by DCFS, he said. Areneson could not discuss the earlier investigation further because of the age of the mother.

Jose and Eugen Trejo will next appear in court on Feb. 2 in Rolling Meadows.